Issue 37 (August 2016)
Lost and Found
TA owner Simon Parker recently found photographs of his late uncle’s TA and TC when clearing out his house. The TA (TA2233) with registration mark APN 898 comes up with a DVLA search enquiry, but is not in use, so is probably laid up. Simon has lots of history for this car, if only we can make contact with the current owner. The photo below shows the car somewhere in the Alps.
There is not so encouraging news about the TC pictured below.
Registration mark NPH 750 is TC10189. The car has trials history from competing in Cornwall (Simon’s uncle, Stuart Radbourne is thought to have hailed from Penzance) and also race and rally history, including participating in the 1951 RAC Rally for which Simon has entry papers. Unfortunately the TC does not come up with a DVLA search.
There are lots of photos of both cars, which is keeping Simon busy on the scanner. One of these is thought to have been taken at Goodwood which shows the headlights turned round and Stuart’s cap, also on the wrong way round!
Simon is at ysfparker(at)btinternet.com {please substitute @ for (at)}. He would also be interested to hear from anybody who might know some history of his TA, registration mark CON 971. A previous appeal for news of history of this car was publicised in an earlier issue of TTT 2 but yielded no fruit.
The following was recently received from new TTT 2 subscriber & member, Steve Mansbridge:
“I am really new to the MG TD scene, having only recently acquired my 1952 MG TD chassis no. 14678 with matching engine number XPAG/TD2/ 15022.
The car rolled off the production line at Abingdon, on the 27th March 1952. An export model, the car went to the State of New Jersey, U.S.A. Unfortunately, I cannot trace the original sale as yet, but I do have the original sales certificate, relating to the second hand sale of the vehicle by The Merit Credit Company of Hanover Street, New Jersey in 1954.
The second owner kept the car and the windscreen has a licence sticker for 1965, which, I understand is when it was last used.
TD14678 was re-imported into the UK, in 2014, and was kept in a sea container in the garden of a lovely cottage near Crewe, Cheshire, until I spotted it for sale.
The purchase, being eventually concluded, I travelled from my home in North West Hampshire, to Crewe, in company with my son, using a hired car transporter. An uneventful journey to say the least. I told the seller originally, that I would be there at about 11 am, we were in fact ten minutes early and, in time for the coffee which was offered and accepted gratefully.
A short check around the car, revealed some corrosion of the left hand front and rear quarter panels, but little else, apart from a spattering of what I can only describe of wax oil on all of the side screens. One other revelation was the presence of a large number of empty acorn husks, in the passenger and luggage compartments, my suspicions were to be confirmed much later.
After loading and securing the car onto the transporter, we departed for the journey home. Apart from a short stop to check the security of the tarpaulin tie down, the trip was again uneventful.
With wife and grandson Spencer awaiting our arrival, we off loaded the MG straight into the garage, maybe that should be squeezed, we are no different to most people, who use the garage as a storage unit for everything.
The following day began the thorough examination of the car, with really surprising results. As it is my intention to carry out a full restoration, dismantling is a forgone conclusion. As at first thought, the left hand front and rear quarter panels were beyond recovery, removal of these panels was not an easy task, as the securing bolts and screws were as rusty as I am; many snapped, others had to be cut off. The removal uncovered a main side rail of the ash frame to be full of DRY rot, the rear door pillar upright was a fatality of WET rot. The side screen box was rusted through, as were the associated plywood panels, rotted through. The seat back, as had the side screen box. had been used as accommodation for the squirrels responsible for the acorn husks, Plywood floor panels will require replacing, as will all of the interior trim and carpets, the reason for this, I will explain later.
Yesterday was turnaround time, to allow full access to the right hand side, Continuing the dismantling process, revealed similar corrosion and rot problems as encountered on the left side, but my son is a qualified fabricator and, will hopefully be able to do a template reconstruction of the quarter panels which are not as badly corroded as on the left side. But a new main side rail will be required.
When I realised that new parts would be required, I began to compile a list of suppliers, now well into page two. Also required was a list of parts required and, a list of companies or people who could refurbish for example, chrome finishings and fasteners, again now on page three.
Back to the interior trim replacements, it would appear, that although the current colour appears to be Autumn Red (a 1951 colour), underneath, I am seeing a red of a totally different shade, more in keeping with MG red, as is indicated on original colour charts. The interior was red but has been over sprayed with the ” Autumn Red ” shade.
That about covers progress so far. Although I have sourced replacement panels and the ash frame rails as needed.
Obviously any further information, particularly about the life of 14678 in the U.S.A. would be most welcome”.
Ed’s note: Steve can be contacted at: smansbridg(at)aol.com {please substitute @ for (at)} The pic below shows TD14678 on the transporter before being tied down for the homeward journey.
Getting TC7445 back on the road
Another new TTT 2 subscriber and member to contact me is Pat Howe. He has an interesting TC which is virtually a one-owner car. The TC was in the ownership of Pat’s father from the early 1950s (Pat is checking dates); it was taken off the road in 1969, but has survived well, as the pictures show.
The rear lights are Jaguar, mounted on handmade wooden plinths, it also has servo assisted brakes, the servo being mounted near the back axle.
There is lots of family history with this car. Pat’s parents moved house in it a few times and Pat was brought home from hospital in the car after he was born.
The car has been on an aeroplane, dating from the time when a company used to fly you and your car to Ireland.
Pat has an old standard 8 cine film of the car dating from the time that it was last on the road and intends to get some stills taken from the film.
Says Pat, “My intention is to get it back on the road with the minimum of changes to how my dad had it, but teach my kids to drive in it, although as I was last a passenger in it nearly 50 years ago, and have never driven one, that might change!”
Ed’s note: It’s good to see both these cars being ‘resurrected’. Steve has significantly more work to do on his TD – from what he’s said and from photos he’s sent me, it’s a total restoration job. Pat is going to keep his TC much the same as it looks in the photos and if the car is basically structurally sound, why not? Never having driven a TC he’s going to discover a whole new driving experience!
JOHN JAMESDISCLAIMER BY THE EDITOR
Totally T-Type 2is produced totally on a voluntary basis and is available on the website www.ttypes.org on a totally FREE basis. Its primary purpose is to help T-Type owners through articles of a technical nature and point them in the direction of recommended service and spares suppliers. Articles are published in good faith but I cannot accept responsibility or legal liability and in respect of contents, liability is expressly disclaimed.
